Edwaed weston



(No Model.)

B. WESTON.

. ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONNECTOR. No. 298,326. Patented May 6,1884.

UNITED STATES i ATENT Fries.

EDWVARE WESTON, OF NEYVARK, NEWV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITEDSTATESELEOTRIO LIGHTING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CONNECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,326, dated May 6,1884.

Application filed October 31,1883. '(No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD WEs'roN, a subjectofthe Queen of Great Britain,aud a resident of N ewark, in the county ofEssex and State of 5 New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric-Circuit Gonnectors, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying andforming a part of the same.

My invention relates to devices commonly known as plug or circuitconnectors, for connecting portable orhand lamps, motors, or similardevices with the conductors of an electric circuit. Such devices usuallyconsist of a socket or its equivalent fixed to awall or stationarysupport, and containing the terminals of a branch or main electriccircuit, and a plug adapted for insertion in the holder, and carryingterminals to register with those in the holder. To the plug is attacheda cord or cable from the lamp or other electrical device, the conductorsof such cord being connected to the plug-terminals.

The objects of my invention are to permit the plug to be easily andreadily inserted in and removed from the socket, and to turn freelytherein without injury to the connectors, and also to conceal andprotect the terminals of the socket, so that the circuit cannot becompleted except through the conductors of the cable by any one usingthe device or by the accidental contact of any objects, or, in otherwords, so that no portions of the terminals or conductors shall beexposed or acces- 3 5 sible when the plug is or is being inserted in thesocket. To this end I employ a wooden or insulating base, which I secureto any fixed support. The base is provided or formed with a socket, inthe bottom of which is a semicir- 40 cular spring, to which one of theline-wires is connected. In the center of the bottom of the socket orrecess is a perforation leading into a chamber in the base, in which isa second spring, forming the other terminal of the line.

5 The plug is cylindrical in shape, with a post or pin extending fromthe end. The wires of the cord or cable are carried through the plug andconnected one to a plate on the end of the post, the other to a circularplate on the end of the plug, these parts being so arranged that whenthe plug is inserted in the socket the post will extend through theperforation in the bottom of the same, and contact be estab- Y lishedbetween the springs and plates. To hold the plug in place against theforce of the springs, 1 use aflanged rim for the socket, cut away at twopoints, and lugs or cars on the plug, which are adapted to enter thecut-away portions,and by engaging with the flange when the plug isturned hold the latter securely in position. This construction in detailis illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the socket and plug detached, and Fig.2 a central section of the same parts united.

A is the base for attachment to any desired support.

B is the socket or recess.

0 is a chamber in the base, separated from the socket by a partition, D,through which is an opening, a.

E F are the line-wires, connected, respectively, to a spring, I), and aspring, 0, the former secured within the chamber 0 and directly over theopening a, the latter in the bottom of the socket.

H is a metal cover or cap with a flanged rim, and cut away at twopoints, 6 c.

G is a cylindrical plug of insulating material, through which are ledthe wires f f of a flexible cord or cable, K. These wires connectonewith a plate, 9, on a post or projection, h, the other with acircular plate or ring, it.

On the sides of the plug are cars or lugs L 8 5 L, which, when the plugis set in place, are passed through the cut-away portions of the flangedrim, and turned so as to rest in the depressions m. By this means theplug is held in place and the circuit-connections completed. 0

It is evident that the lugs may be on the walls of the socket and theplug grooved, if so desired, it being only essential to the main features of the invention that when the plug is inserted it willnecessarily complete the cir- 5 cuit between the line-wires and theconductors of the cord, that the plug shall be held in place, and thatthe contact plates or terminals shall be concealed and protected, so asto be inaccessible when the plug is inserted. 'r'co In otherapplications Ihave described means similar to those here shown forholding an incandescent lamp in its socket, and I do not claim hereinthe construction of the parts that serve to hold the plug in positionapart from the particular combination in which they are here employed.Vithout, therefore, relinquishing the right to those features of noveltyherein shown but not claimed,

What I claim is 1. The combination, with a body of insulating material,and provided with lugs or ears, contact-terminals seen red to theinsulatingbody, and electrical conductors connected with the terminals,of a socket formed or provided with a notched flange for admitting thebody, and retaining the same by the engagement of the lugs with theflange and terminals secured within the socket, as set forth.

EDWVABD WESTON.

lVitnesses:

HENRY A. BEOKMEYER, FRANK N. CRANE.

